Email is and has always been THE ultimate source of communication for every small, medium or large business you can think of, even after the advent of breakthrough instant messenger apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, IMO, etc.
It is a verifiable fact that email is always preferred over any other form of internet communication like multi-figure deals, contracts, and collaborations as it provides that much needed "Professional" feel to the conversation.
Email tracking and dynamics have burst into the limelight since the invention of more and more email clients, apps, software, plugins, and extensions.
It is due to this basic aspect that leading email clients like Gmail and Microsoft Outlook today are allowing third-party developers to provide Server-side synchronization by creating integrations and extensions using Dynamics CRM.
What is a Dynamics CRM?
A CRM simply stands for Customer Relationship Management. It is a category of integrated, data-driven solutions that improve how you interact and do business with your customers and clients. CRM systems and applications are designed specially to manage and maintain customer relationships, track engagement and sales and deliver actionable data all in one place.
Now a Dynamics CRM is a server-client application and IIS-based web application that primarily focuses on Sales, Marketing, and Service (help desk) sectors, just like the Microsoft SharePoint. It also supports extensive web services interfaces. Clients access Dynamics CRM either by using a Browser or by a thick client plug-in to their supported email client like Gmail and Microsoft Outlook.
There are numerous plug-ins and browser extensions that allow users to integrate their Gmail and Outlook with Dynamics CRM systems. If you use Outlook for PC and if Gmail is configured through IMAP, then you can also choose to deploy CRM Outlook client. The feature is fully supported by Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox browsers.
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Also if you don't use Gmail through Outlook, then there is a popular Dynamics CRM system you can integrate with. This system is called Akvelon Dynamics CRM, and this is what we will be discussing in this quick step by step review.
SO LET'S GET STARTED!
Akvelon Dynamics CRM
Akvelon is an international group of skilled professionals and engineers who aim at creating solutions for people's online businesses. They work at integrating technology, software development, and IT project support to provide rapid, cost-effective and successful business solutions.
Their products and services have helped numerous clients to develop effective business models and have been praised by leading businesses like Microsoft, htc, AT&T, T-Mobile, Inrix, AVG and more for their work.
Carrying on with their amazing work, Akvelon recently rolled out an online service tool that allows users to connect their Gmail accounts directly to Dynamics CRM. The tool allows users to flawlessly track down emails, conversations and attachments from Gmail and save them directly into Dynamics CRM.
Gmail as you must be knowing, is one of the most popular free email clients used by many people for personal and business purposes. Gmail is the leading and most preferred email client for a whole bunch of reasons.
This is considered the simplest, most organized email client that does a great job filtering out spam and provides free POP and IMAP options.
Highlight features
The concept of Dynamics CRM was for the very first time adopted on a major scale by Microsoft when they launched the Microsoft Dynamics CRM for only Microsoft Outlook users. Akvelon took a page out of Microsoft's playbook to create a Dynamics CRM tool for all Non-Outlook Gmail users.
Akvelon's Dynamics CRM has a whole list of amazing and useful features that will help users efficiently and flawlessly link their Gmail accounts to Dynamics CRM. Here is what all you can do with Akvelon Dynamics CRM.
- Track down emails, conversations, and attachments, while saving directly into Dynamics CRM.
- Create new contacts directly from Gmail with just one click.
- Quickly find contacts and accounts in CRM and track correlated emails.
- View upcoming tasks and open them directly to Dynamics CRM from Gmail.
- Track Dynamics CRM contacts, create new contact profiles and track emails pertaining to a specific contact all in Gmail.
- Display user's active tasks, priorities (by color), descriptions, and due dates.
- Works alongside Akvelon's Dynamics CRM.
- Search and Preview applications.
- All information created in Gmail is saved to Dynamics CRM instantly.
How to install Chrome extension?
As mentioned earlier, Akvelon has recently rolled out a Chrome extension for its Dynamics CRM tool. The extension is a 14-day trial version, after which you will have to purchase the paid package.
- Go to: chrome://extensions/ via Google Chrome
- Find "Dynamics CRM Integration for Gmail" in the extensions list
- Click the recycle icon (See Remove the extension from Chrome for more detail)
Prerequisite steps for installation:
- Sign in to Gmail using your Google account. Once you do so, please keep in mind that you have to stay logged into Gmail account to use "Dynamics CRM Integration for Gmail".
- Open the following link https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/dynamics-crm integration/opdeoodggbccmpenpleeenkbhckopmpk in your Chrome browser.
- Click "Add to Chrome" to install 14-day trial
How to get started?
- Open Gmail and login to your account. If Gmail is already opened and you are logged in, please press Ctrl+F5 on your keyboard in order to refresh the page and enable the extension. The "Dynamics CRM Integration for Gmail" sidebar will appear on the right side once the Gmail page is loaded,.
- Open "Settings" tab and enter your Dynamics CRM credentials in the "CRM Connection" section:
- URL to your CRM organization, example: https://myorg.crm.dynamics.com
- Username, example: mailto:[email protected]
- Your password for Dynamics CRM Online in the "Password" field
- Click on Google Account field to sign in to your Google Account and look for the Google API Authentication window.
- Choose an account and click "Allow" to accept the permissions to get access to Google API.
- If you ignore or close this Google API Authentication window the extension won't work correctly.
- Google API Authentication is valid for few days and this time managed by Google. When the time is over you need to accept this permission again.
Latest updates for version 3.0
- Increased email tracking functionality
A revamped, new user interface and experience to make email tracking easier, so that users are not forced to take extra steps in organizing a CRM workflow. This update fits seamlessly into the Gmail design for quick access to all CRM email tracking tools within the extension.
Quick links:
Users are now able to sync their Dynamics CRM calendar with Gmail or their Google Calendar with Dynamics CRM. For those of us who have several calendars on many different clients, this is a huge value add.
The "Activities" tab for version 3 of Dynamics CRM Integration for Gmail has been completely redesigned to support all types of CRM Activities. All activity fields are clickable and users can quickly open each "Activity" in CRM. The developers have also added the ability to filter, sort and search activities.
Plans & Pricing
Akvelon does offer demo trial versions for some of its popular tools like to the users. However, the fully functional package of the tool is paid. Visit their official website to learn more about their features, services, clients, prices and more.
